XTC
' XTC' were a new wave rock band from Swindon, England, led by songwriters Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding and active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" (1979) and "Senses Working Overtime" (1982). Despite their three-decade career, XTC were a performing and touring band for only six of those years: they retired from live performance in 1982. For the remaining twenty-three years of their existence XTC were a studio-based project involving session players around a nucleus of Partridge, Moulding and Dave Gregory. The band are perhaps better known for long-standing critical acclaim rather than commercial success. (read more on wikipedia) Links To Peel Peel discovered the group when the band sent him a poster for a gig in London and demos of their material. According to Andy Partridge on an interview with the John Peel Centre, Peel attended their gig in London and liked the band so much, that he invited them for a session, despite the group not having a record deal. After the session was played, different record companies tried to sign them on, which at the end was succeeded by Virgin in 1977. In 1978, XTC released a dub EP called "Go+" as a freebie included with some of the copies of their second LP "Go 2". Peel appreciated the experimental nature of the work, going as far as on saying on the 06 October 1978 show that he thought he was going to end up listening to it more than the album itself and, thus, featured it in his tracklists. However, on one instance, a funny moment occurred when Peel played one of the tracks at the wrong speed and instead of three minutes of dub, it ended up as seven with Partridge singing in a very turgid voice. The band did four sessions for Peel and also performed the Pickin' The Blues intro on 15 October 1979 with Partridge impersonating Peel with his voice and intro of made up artists performing on the show. During that session the band recorded a version of the song "Scissor Man" from their third album "Drums and Wires" which eventually ended up on the doublepack edition of the single "Towers of London" with special thanks to Peel on the label of the vinyl. All of the band's albums up to "Oranges & Lemons" were found on his record collection. Sessions "Cross Wires" from session #1, all tracks from session #2 except for "Heathwave Mark 2", "Meccanik Dancing" from session #3 and all tracks from session #4 except for "Scissor Man" available on "Drums And Wireless - BBC Radio Sessions 77 - 89 " (1994, CD, Nighttracks). All of the tracks above plus "The Rhythm" from session #3 also available on "Transistors Blast" (1998, 4 CD, TVT Records). "Scissor Man" from session #4 first appeared in 1980 on the doublepack edition of the single "Towers of London" and later re-released on "Rag & Bone Buffet" (1990, Virgin). "Science Friction" from session #1 available on "Movement: BBC Radio 1 Peel Sessions 1977-1979" (2xCD, EMI, 2011). 1. Recorded: 1977-06-20. Broadcast: 24 June 1977. Repeated: 20 July 1977, 29 August 1977, 11 October 1977, 04 September 1980, 28 October 1986 *She's So Square / Cross Wires / Radios In Motion / Science Friction 2. Recorded: 1977-09-21. Broadcast: 26 September 1977. Repeated: 28 October 1977, 17 February 1978 *Into The Atom Age / Heatwave Mark 2 / I'm Bugged / Dance Band 3. Recorded: 1978-11-13. Broadcast: 20 November 1978. Repeated: 18 December 1978, 17 January 1979 *Meccanik Dancing / The Rhythm / New Town Animal In A Furnished Cage / Super-Tuff 4. Recorded: 1979-10-08. Broadcast: 15 October 1979. Repeated: 20 November 1979, 22 April 1980 *Opening Signature Tune And Speech / Scissor Man / Roads Girdle The Globe / Ten Feet Tall / Real By Reel Other Shows Played ;1978 *04 January 1978: Statue Of Liberty (7") Virgin *16 January 1978: 3 tracks from the LP White Music *25 January 1978: Unknown (track was played but is not on the recording) *01 March 1978: Science Friction (v/a LP - Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival) Warner Bros. *11 April 1978: This Is Pop *31 July 1978: 'Do What You Do (LP-White Music)' (Virgin) *06 October 1978: Dance With me, Germany (12” EP - Go+) Virgin (JP: “Eventually I suspect I shall end up by listening to more than I listen to the XTC album (Go 2), and I like the album very well indeed.”) *11 October 1978: Buzzcity Talking / Crowded Room / The Rhythm (LP - Go 2 Go 2) Virgin *12 October 1978: Battery Brides (Andy Paints Brian) (LP – Go 2) Virgin *12 October 1978: A Dictionary of Modern Marriage (12” EP - Go+) Virgin *20 October 1978: 'I Am The Audience (LP-Go 2)' (Virgin) *20 October 1978: 'Clap Clap Clap (12” EP - Go+) Virgin *25 October 1978: Battery Brides (LP -Go 2) Virgin *25 October 1978: A Dictionary of Modern Marriage (12” EP - Go+) Virgin *31 October 1978: Are You Receiving Me? (7”) Virgin *01 November 1978: Meccanik Dancing (Oh We Go!) (LP – Go 2) Virgin *02 November 1978: Are You Receiving Me? (7”) Virgin *07 November 1978: Red (LP – Go 2) Virgin *21 November 1978: Instant Tunes (b-side 'Are You Receiving Me?' 7") Virgin *27 November 1978: 'Radios In Motion (2x Compilation LP-Dead On Arrival)' (Virgin) *27 November 1978: 'Are You Receiving Me? (7")' (Virgin) *20 December 1978: Crowded Room (LP – Go 2) Virgin ;1979 *08 January 1979: Life Is Good In The Greenhouse (LP - Go 2) Virgin *24 January 1979: Beatown (LP-XTC's Go 2) Virgin *01 May 1979: Life Begins At The Hop (7”) Virgin *09 May 1979: Life Begins At The Hop (7”) Virgin *12 May 1979 (BFBS): Life Begins At The Hop (7") Virgin *09 August 1979: Limelight (LP- Drums And Wires) Virgin *09 August 1979: Chain Of Command (LP - Drums And Wires) Virgin *13 August 1979: Making Plans For Nigel / Helicopter / Day In Day Out (Drums & Wires) Virgin *14 August 1979: When You're Near Me / Ten Feet Tall / Roads Girdle The Globe (LP – Drums And Wires) *15 August 1979: Reel By Reel / Millions / That Is The Way (LP – Drums & Wires) Virgin *16 August 1979: Outside World / Scissor Man / Complicated Game (LP – Drums And Wires) Virgin *21 August 1979: Millions (LP – Drums & Wires) Virgin *28 August 1979: Ten Feet Tall (LP – Drums & Wires) Virgin *29 August 1979: 'When You’re Near Me I Have Difficulty (LP-Drums & Wires)' (Virgin) *01 September 1979 (BFBS): Making Plans For Nigel (LP - Drums And Wires) Virgin *01 September 1979 (BFBS): Helicopter (LP - Drums And Wires) Virgin *01 September 1979 (BFBS): Real By Reel (LP - Drums And Wires) Virgin *12 September 1979: Helicopter (LP – Drums & Wires) Virgin *13 September 1979: Making Plans For Nigel (7") Virgin *17 September 1979: Bush Man President / Pulsing Pulsing (b-sides of 'Making Plans For Nigel' 7") Virgin *24 September 1979: Ten Feet Tall (LP – Drums And Wires) Virgin *04 October 1979: Complicated Game ;1980 *11 March 1980: Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down (7”) Virgin *15 March 1980 (BFBS): Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down (7”) Virgin VS 322 *20 March 1980: Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down (single) Virgin *25 March 1980: Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down (7”) Virgin *27 March 1980 (BFBS): Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down (7”) Virgin *20 August 1980: Generals And Majors (7") Virgin *03 September 1980: Generals And Majors (7") Virgin *03 September 1980: Living Through Another Cuba / Love At First Sight (album - Black Sea) Virgin V 2173 *08 September 1980: Travels In Nihilon (album - Black Sea) Virgin V 2173 *09 September 1980: Respectable Street (album - Black Sea) Virgin V 2173 *10 September 1980: Living Through Another Cuba (album - Black Sea) Virgin V 2173 *13 September 1980 (BFBS): Living Through Another Cuba (album - Black Sea) Virgin V 2173 *18 September 1980: Rocket From A Bottle (album - Black Sea) Virgin V 2173 *20 September 1980 (BFBS): Paper And Iron (Notes And Coins) (album - Black Sea) Virgin V 2173 *24 September 1980: Travels In Nihilon (album - Black Sea) Virgin V 2173 *11 October 1980 (BFBS): Travels In Nihilon (album - Black Sea) Virgin V 2173 ;1981 *31 August 1981: Helicopter *01 November 1981 (BFBS): Radios In Motion (2x Compilation LP-Dead On Arrival)' (Virgin) ;1982 *11 March 1982 (BBC World Service): Leisure (album - English Settlement) Virgin *14 March 1982 (BFBS): No Thugs in Our House (7") Virgin ;1983 *09 March 1983: Dance With Me, Germany (12" EP - Go+) Virgin *07 August 1983 (BFBS): Yacht Dance (album - English Settlement) Virgin V 2223 *October 1983 (BBC World Service): Deliver Us From The Elements (album - Mummer) Virgin *05 November 1983 (BFBS): Dance With Me, Germany (12" - Go+) Virgin VS 23312 ;1986 *28 October 1986: The Meeting Place (LP - Skylarking) Virgin *03 November 1986: Grass (LP - Skylarking) Virgin ;1992 *07 March 1992: 'Into the Atom Age (LP - White Music)' (Virgin) ;1994 *28 October 1994: Intro / No Thugs In Our House (LP - Drums & Wireless) Nighttracks ;1996 *24 June 1996: Crossedwires (John Peel's Classic Sessions) ;1998 *01 December 1998: Intro / Life Begins At The Hop (LP - Translator Blast: The Best Of The BBC Sessions) Cooking Vinyl ;1999 *12 May 1999: Seagulls Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her (LP - The Big Express) Virgin *13 May 1999 (Radio Eins): Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her (album - The Big Express) Virgin V 2325 ;Other *Best Of Peel Vol 43: 'Atom Age (CD-White Music)' (Geffen) Top Of The Pops *04 February 1982 (TOTP): Senses Working Overtime #15 See Also *Record Collection: X *1978 Top Twenty Albums External Links *Wikipedia *Discogs *Last FM Category:Artists